Healthy Habits

Eat just one cookie per day

If you have a sweet tooth, try to cut back. Sugar is loaded with calories and it’s often paired with fats (in cookie or candy form), which is also packed with calories. Additionally, excessive sugar (and weight) throughout your lifetime can lead to type 2 diabetes, a serious disease that can have dire consequences. So take it easy with the sweets; if you really need that cookie after lunch, have just one.

Drink just one soda per week

Soda can have serious health affects. Firstly, it’s nothing but pure empty calories — sugar without any nutrients. And those calories won’t go anywhere but your waistline. Secondly, most sodas contain high fructose corn syrup, which is a super sweet syrup that can spike your blood sugar and even trick the liver into producing more artery-clogging chemicals. If that weren’t enough to convince, consider the fact that there’s evidence that the common soda preservative — sodium benzoate — can directly damage DNA and disable mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell.

Brush and floss two times a day

It’s hard to enjoy a healthy body if you have to gum your way through every meal. Brush and floss your teeth every day, without exception. The simple procedure will keep your chompers in top condition, which means that you’ll be able to tear into barbecued ribs and sweet corn until the day you die. There’s also mounting evidence that the bacteria in your mouth may play a role in heart disease. Higher levels of bacteria in the mouth, it seems, correlates directly to higher rates of cardiovascular disease. Researchers are still torn over what exactly causes the relationship, but it’s still a good idea to keep your teeth gleaming white.

healthy habits to die for

A little maintenance goes a long way. These tasks may seem like bothersome chores, but they could add years to your life. Stay fit, eat well and relieve stress and you’ll live longer and happier.